The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) announced today that they have called up five members of Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency program for a 10-day U-20 national team camp in Sunrise, Florida, starting next Tuesday, December 6.
In addition to the roster announcement, the CSA also confirmed today that former Whitecaps FC player and assistant coach Nick Dasovic will lead Canada on the road to the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey.
Residency centre backs Ben McKendry and Daniel Stanese, midfielders Bryce Alderson and Ben Fisk, as well as striker Caleb Clarke have all been named to Dasovic’s 19-player roster which will feature players born 1993 or later. Alderson and Stanese have previously represented Canada at the U-17 level, while Fisk and McKendry have participated in a Canadian U-18 camp. This is Clarke’s first call-up to the Canadian national team program.
Dasovic returns to the Canadian national team program after leading Canada to a third-place finish at the 2008 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying tournament, with the U-23 squad finishing just one win away from earning a spot at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Dasovic has since served as an assistant coach and head coach with Major League soccer side Toronto FC.
Dasovic is well versed in Canada’s national team program, having made 63 senior appearances for his country between 1992 to 2004. He represented Canada in three cycles of FIFA World Cup qualifying and also represented Canada at the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup. He then represented Canada in a fourth cycle of FIFA World Cup qualifying as an assistant coach and served as an assistant coach with Canada’s U-20 national team.
Dasovic's technical staff also includes Whitecaps FC goalkeeper coach Marius Rovde.
CANADA U-20
GK- Chad Bush | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
GK- Quillan Roberts | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
CB- Ben McKendry | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
CB- Daniel Stanese | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
CB- Skylar Thomas | USA / Syracuse University
FB- Dino Gardner |
FB- Doneil Henry | CAN / Toronto FC
FB- Manjrekar James | CAN / Sigma FC
FB- Jordan Murrell | USA / Syracuse University
M- Bryce Alderson | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
M- Keven Aleman | ESP / Real Valladolid
M- Oscar Cordon | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Ben Fisk | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
M- Jonathan Lao | GER / FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt
M- Shadrack Mmunga | FRA / FC Metz
M- Samuel Piette | FRA / FC Metz
F- Caleb Clarke | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
F- Abu Kamara | CAN / Concord
F- Stefan Vukovic | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
Head coach: Nick Dasovic
High Performance Director: Tony Fonseca
MNT Head Coach: Stephen Hart
Goalkeeper coach: Marius Rovde
Fitness coach: Paolo Pacione
Team manager: Les Meszaros
Equipment manager: Davide DeDonato
Athletic therapist: Al Ezaki
